Trump’s Baby Bonus Proposal and Pope Francis’ Passing Shape Global Headlines – 4/22/25

The Trump administration’s exploration of a $5,000 “baby bonus” to encourage marriage and birth rates has sparked debate, while the passing of Pope Francis prompts global reflection on his progressive legacy. Internationally, a deadly terror attack in Kashmir and ongoing Ukraine ceasefire talks highlight persistent geopolitical tensions.

United States

  • Trump Administration explores $5,000 “baby bonus” for new mothers to boost marriage and birth rates, per NYP
  • Over 150 universities, including Harvard and Princeton, protest Trump’s defunding of DEI programs, citing “political interference”
  • Only 38% of student loan borrowers are current on payments, with 9 million significantly behind, per Angela Morabito
  • Student loan collections resume May 5, ending a pause on involuntary actions for defaulted borrowers, per Press Secretary
  • RFK Jr. plans a national registry to track autism cases, per CBS
  • Massachusetts lawmakers propose eliminating religious exemptions for school vaccine mandates
  • ‘60 Minutes’ producer Bill Owens resigns amid Trump’s $20B lawsuit against CBS for alleged deceptive editing, per NYP
  • Press Sec. Leavitt vows zero tolerance for Pentagon leaks, saying, “We are not going to tolerate individuals who leak to the mainstream media”
  • Florida sues Snapchat over child predator concerns and investigates Roblox for similar issues
  • OpenAI reportedly eyes purchase of Google’s Chrome browser
  • Trump’s tariffs drive companies to store imports in tax-free foreign trade zones, per CNBC
  • Minneapolis DA drops charges against Tesla vandal despite $20,000 in damages, prompting police chief to say, “Any frustration… should be directed solely at her office,” per CollinRugg
  • Colorado judge halts Trump’s Alien Enemies Act deportations, citing flawed process, ensuring 21-day notice and legal access for detainees, per kyledcheney
  • Trump plans to raise taxes on wealthy Americans to reduce or eliminate taxes for middle class, per Steve Bannon
  • ICE denies Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil’s request to attend his child’s birth while detained in Louisiana, per WSJ
  • ICE agents allegedly misled Los Angeles school staff about parental consent to conduct student welfare checks, per Raw Story
  • Marco Rubio’s State Department overhaul could cut 700 civil and foreign service jobs, per ABC
  • Florida couple faces death penalty for allegedly luring and killing a 16-year-old girl via social media, per NBCNews
  • University of Cincinnati football player Jeremiah Kelly dies unexpectedly at his residence, per CBSNews
  • Three federal prosecutors resign from Eric Adams’ corruption case, citing Justice Department’s demands to confess wrongdoing, per Bloomberg
  • Tesla stock plummets as 47% of public holds negative view of the company, per NBCNews
  • A man in Austin stunned onlookers by swinging from a high-rise crane before calmly climbing down and vanishing without arrest, per CollinRugg
  • 60 Minutes chief Bill Owens resigns amid Trump’s $20B lawsuit against CBS, saying he couldn’t run the show independently, per Los Angeles Times
  • Tesla celebrates Earth Day, highlighting 30M+ tons of CO₂e avoided and 100% renewable Superchargers, driving a fossil-fuel-free future
  • Press Secretary vows zero tolerance for Pentagon leaks, strongly backing Secretary Hegseth amid media leaks
  • FDA to ban artificial food dyes linked to health issues, starting with Red Dye No. 3, per U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CNN
  • Trump signs Executive Order 14208 to end federal use of paper straws, calling them a chemical-laced “scam,” per Truth Social
  • Education Department to resume defaulted student loan collections next month, including wage garnishment, per KGUN 9

Western States

  • Dalida’s owners plan to expand their acclaimed San Francisco Mediterranean restaurant, saying, “We are incredibly excited to embrace this iconic San Francisco space,” per San Francisco Chronicle
  • St. Helens High School principal resigns amid an ongoing sex abuse investigation, per KATU News
  • California’s economy, heavily reliant on China trade, faces risks from the U.S.-China trade war, per San Francisco Chronicle
  • Coca-Cola to shutter its Napa County bottling plant, impacting 135 jobs, per San Francisco Chronicle
  • Michelin-starred Luce restaurant in San Francisco closes permanently after over a decade, per San Francisco Chronicle
  • Oregon declared drought-free after years of water scarcity concerns, per KOIN News
  • A man allegedly stole a cross from a Los Angeles chapel on Holy Thursday, per KTLA
  • Orange County police probe reports of cats being stolen and possibly killed, per KTLA
  • Beaverton’s Highland Neighborhood hit by flooding and a simultaneous house fire, per KATU News
  • BLM allocates $27.7 million in timber revenue to Oregon counties for critical local services, per KATU News
  • Long Beach police investigate video of a man abusing a dog by slamming it to the ground, per ABC7 Eyewitness News
  • Summerlin developer plans a 400-acre expansion with up to 2,909 homes, per Las Vegas Review-Journal
  • WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas becomes WWE’s most successful event ever, per Las Vegas Review-Journal
  • 60,000 Americans face eviction risk as rental assistance ends unless Congress intervenes, per FOX 12 Oregon

International

  • Trump condemns Pakistan-backed terror attack in Kashmir that killed 27 Hindu tourists
  • El Salvador’s Bukele to meet Rep. Luna on May 8, who says, “I’ll be focused on strengthening the partnership between our nations,” per EricLDaugh
  • Trump honors Pope Francis’ passing, saying, “Pope Francis touched millions of lives,” and will attend his funeral in Rome
  • Euro could rival dollar as reserve currency with deeper European integration, says ECB’s Luis de Guindos, per Bloomberg
  • Philippines may further ease monetary policy amid U.S. tariffs and economic uncertainty, says central bank governor, per Bloomberg
  • Pope Francis reshaped Catholic Church to reflect global diversity; successor faces challenge to sustain it, per WSJ
  • Chile’s right-wing candidate Johannes Kaiser vows swift tax cuts and government downsizing if elected, per Bloomberg
  • Catholics await new leader to decide if Pope Francis’ progressive policies continue or shift to tradition, per NBCNews
  • Trump to visit Middle East May 13-16 to secure investments from Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar, per Bloomberg
  • Australian police fled a riot in Footscray, Melbourne, after a mob, including some migrants, attacked officers following the shooting of a knife-wielding man, per reports
  • Trump will call PM Modi to offer condolences after a deadly terrorist attack in South Kashmir, says Press Secretary
  • Zelensky claims Chinese citizens are working at a Russian drone factory, possibly using stolen tech, and has alerted Beijing, per Reuters
  • Iran-U.S. nuclear talks rescheduled for Saturday in Oman, with progress reported but no deal yet, per Reuters
  • EU’s Kaja Kallas reaffirms Crimea is Ukraine, rejecting Russia’s claim
  • Pope Francis’ funeral set for Saturday at St. Peter’s Basilica, with Trump and world leaders attending, per reports
  • PM Modi cuts Saudi visit short to return to India after a deadly Kashmir terror attack, where terrorists spared a woman to “tell Modi what we did”
  • Zelensky says Ukraine is ready for ceasefire talks once Russia stops attacks, with meetings planned in London, per Reuters
  • Trump envoy Witkoff and Secretary Rubio will skip Ukraine talks in London, per FT